Build a better sandwich with Melbourne's Earl Canteen

By Jane de Graaff| 2 years ago

Earl Canteen's chicken sandwich

It might not sound that hard, but getting the balance of the perfect sandwich can be quite a feat.

"A great sandwich is more than a list of great components," says Jackie Middleton, one-half of the brains behind Earl Canteen, where they specialise in fancy sandwiches. When she and her husband, Simon O'Regan, left the world of front-of-house to create the ideal sandwich shop, it was because they were inspired by the high-end dining they'd seen regularly turned into sandwiches for staff meals. For Middleton, those sandwiches were a kind of magic.

Since opening in 2010 Earl Canteen (named after the Earl of Sandwich) has been turning out some of the best fancy sandwiches in Melbourne.

"You need the bread to complement the well layered and presented fillings," says Middleton. "Once I've taken a bite, the textures and component seasonings are the things that ensure I want to take a second bite," she says, pointing out that the sandwich transcends culture and class.

"They're truly the most flexible of meals, from something incredibly considered to a quick meal solution, you’ll find them in some form right across the globe. I think it's okay that they're a little taken for granted. But the humble sandwich is everywhere and can be everything, from the fancy deli with the air-freighted mozzarella on artisan ciabatta, to a late night toastie with cheese reclaimed from the forgotten block in the fridge with bread rescued from the freezer."

But there are ways to enhance the humble sandwich, and here are Middleton's five golden rules:

It needs to be pretty. Thought needs to go into the presentation and all the components need to be represented in each bite. Don’t overfill. Make two sandwiches instead.

Consider your textures. What's stopping that meatball from jumping out? If you cut the meat a different way would it be a better sandwich? Should it be a hearty slab, thick slices, folded slices or shaved meats?

Make your own and use quality leftovers. Homemade mayonnaise is always going to be better than a jar. Make your own simple pickles. Use leftovers from other meals to build layers of flavours. Don’t forget that meats, tomato, avocado and eggs all need to be individually seasoned.

Waterproof it. No one likes soggy bread, so ensure wet ingredients like tomato or pickles are layered between waterproofing ingredients like mayonnaise, cheese or meats.

Choose the right bread. Does the bread style match or contrast the fillings? Would a flavoursome, textured sourdough be better than a brioche? Would a grain bread offer another layer of interest? A different bread makes a totally different sandwich.

In addition to this, Middleton believes that you need to think about the way the sandwich is built, rather than just slapping it all together.
"Lay your components out and take a second to consider the end result before you start building. Make sure the mustard is on the bread closest to the meat, the mayonnaise is waterproofing the pickles, that the beetroot is nowhere near the bread," she says. "I prefer rectangular cut sliced bread, because old-school triangles have less structural integrity when packed."

She also recommends ensuring the packaging around the sandwich is nice and cosy so that nothing moves or slips around. Finally, Middleton's parting tip is to take inspiration from the unexpected.

"My fridge is always full of leftovers; a piece of roast chicken from last night, pickled cherries from Christmas, a sliver of special cheese we didn’t finish with friends on the weekend. These ingredients were never intended to be a sandwich filling, but they're often the best. Take the components from a favourite meal and think about a way to put them in a sandwich. Experiment! Use leftovers and you might love the result so much that next time you make those pickled cherries, all you'll be able to think about is having them in a roast chicken sandwich."